Create the Workforce of the 21st Century

The Caterpillar Foundation understands the importance of equipping individuals and communities with the skills, resources and services they need to thrive in our changing world. Investments in workforce readiness and STEM aim to create human infrastructure through an empowered, prepared and skilled workforce.

Our Approach to Workforce Readiness

We help under-served communities gain 21st century jobs, through technical education and basic computer skills.

For example, women and minorities benefit the most from workforce education: just 9% of construction and engineering trade certificates go to women. In low and middle-income communities, education gaps prevent people from gaining the skills they need to become technical workers.

We support programs that are tailored to local labor markets, where teachers are well-equipped and well-trained, and students get hands-on experience in the workplace.

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Our Approach to Access to STEM Education

We help students pursue and enter STEM careers, equipped with the right skills and knowledge to thrive.

We focus on expanding access to STEM education in under-served communities in the US and around the world.  For instance, less than a third of US schools with high proportions of minority students offer calculus. And less than 12% of African graduates get a STEM degree.

We support programs where STEM is taught as a unified approach that makes connections across science, technology, engineering and math.

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